Greece & Crete 1941

Does anyone know of any arrival lists for troops evacuated from Greece/Crete to the Middle East (Alexandria??) for April/May 1941?
Specifically AIF troops.
Would assume someone would have recorded the names and details of troops evacuated and arriving for administration purposes.
Spider

 

I don't know if there's anything like a central repository - nor what detail was recorded. Occasionally I've come across divisional/unit histories on the Net - most recently the 4th Hussars - which list arrivals in Crete from Greece, and on to Egypt, but usually just in the form of an officers name and x-number of ORs (Other Ranks)

If anything it would have just been a regimental roll call, against the unit pay records?

 

The personal service records only show when he departed and when he arrived back.
The unit diaries for the 6th Division Signals were left behind for the period in Greece and were completed when they returned.
The same for the 6th Division diaries (6th Div HQ diaries are on line at the AWM)

 

Information I have gathered indicates that the 6th Division Signals were grouped under the 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion and embarked from Kalamata Greece on the 28 April 1941.

The bulk of the unit embarked at 0300hrs via destroyers to the transports and the convoy moved off at 0400hrs.
From dawn onwards the convoy was under air attack from the Luftwaffe with one of the transports disabled (containing 2700 troops) and the troops transferred to 2 destroyers.

Other information indicates that troops were evacuated on the night of the 26 April 1941 from Kalamata (convoy GA 14) which included the transports Glengyle, Salween, Khedive Ismail, Dilwarra, City of London and the Costa Rica.

At 1500hrs (27/04/1941???) a flight of Junker 88’s attacked the convoy and causing damage to the Costa Rica with 2500 troops on board.

The official history indicates that:

At 1440 hrs on the 27/04/0194 the convoy of was attached by enemy aircraft with a bomb hitting the water 7 to 8 feet from the Costa Rica. At 1500hrs water was coming in through the port side.

The Defender and Herward evacuated the tromp which included the 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion, 2/7th Battalion, part of the 2/8th Battalion and a company of the 2/1st.

This would indicate that the 6th Division Signals were evacuated from Greece on the 27 April 1941 with the 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion.

The troops in the convoy were originally destined for Alexandria.

Embarkations on the 26/27 April 1941 from Kalamata was 8,650

The convoy eventually arrived at Suda Bay Crete.

The 6th Division Signals embarked Suda Bay on the 18 May 1941.

The total casualties for the 6th Division Signals was 75 mostly POW’s

Anyone have any other information regarding the 6th Division Signals during this period.

 

Attached are some details of the 6th Division AIF's activities and disposition in Greece.

Spider

 

Article regarding the 6th Division AIF in Greece from the ADF Journal #88 May/June 1991

 

I don't know if there's anything like a central repository - nor what detail was recorded. Occasionally I've come across divisional/unit histories on the Net - most recently the 4th Hussars - which list arrivals in Crete from Greece, and on to Egypt, but usually just in the form of an officers name and x-number of ORs (Other Ranks)

If anything it would have just been a regimental roll call, against the unit pay records?

Currently awaiting the field notes of Capt Greville (6th Div Signals) from the AWM which should shed some light.

He was the adjutant and kept a record of activities of the campaign.

 

Hi Spider,
Just incase you missed this:
http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-sea/18047-ship-identification.html

Thought you may be interested and a bit of a coincidence looking at times etc.

Cheers

 

[FONT=&quot]6th (Aust) Division Signals Embarkation roll from Suda Bay Crete 14 May 1941[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Some R C Sigs attached[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX Lt Col WELLMAN L J[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX113 MAJ REEVE R C [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]QX6026 CAPT HOOKER I J [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX7392 LIET IBBOTSON T A S[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX124 CAPT GREVILLE S J[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]QX261 WO1 BURTON A R[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX9836 WO1 COYLE F[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3598 SIG ATKINS L[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX9418 SIG AITKIN D[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX1111 L/SGT BEVERIDGE R W[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]SX2095 SIG BYRNE E J[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX1359 SIG BULAN C[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3221 SIG BRADFORD W[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3811 PTE BROWNLOW W A (34 LAD)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3529080 SIG BLAIN J (RCS)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3775 SIG BROADBENT KN[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX4121 SIG BRUCE W A[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX 7673 SIG CARROLL L[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3699 CPL CORMIER F[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX7410 SGT CARLETON K G[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] SIG CAMPBELL A[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX1114 CPL CASEY M[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WX1213 SIG COULING C J T [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX9566 SIG CONWAY T[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WX269 SIG COUSING A J[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX6767 PTE COOKE W L (42LAD)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3700 SIG CUNNINGHAM ACT[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3698 SIG CLIFT K R[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX53660 SIG CHAPMAN K (SIGS AUST C)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3204 SGT DUNBRELL F A[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3702 S/SGT DYKE L[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX10705 SIG DELANEY N C[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3771 SIG DICKENS W C[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX1478 SIG EASTOE R[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX5371 SIG ELLIS R J[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WX1192 SIG EATON C H[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX5572 SIG EVANS C H[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WX1021 SIG FINLAY B R[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX2393 SIG FOSTER E E[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX1542 S/SGT FINCH J[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3702 SIG FELDT E L[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX32615 SIG FERRIS A I (SIGS AUST C)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX7388 SIG GRAHAM F W[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3755 CPL GALLAGHER V R[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3706 SIG GALLAGHER J L[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX7663 SIG GROSE W A[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]SX2554 SIG HEAFT E G[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX7059 SIG HARRISON L[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3949 SIG HANDS M H[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX7414 SIG HOGAN M T [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WX852 SIG HOGAN I M[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX5585 SIG IVES W L[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3763 SIG JEFFRESS C[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX 1370 SIG KNIGHT-SMITH L E[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX5543 SIG KENNON J L[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3719 SIG LEE L[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX8788 SIG LEES R H[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX743 SIG MOORE W E[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX19490 SIG MADDEN L[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX1483 SIG MCARTHUR K[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX1482 SIG MACNEVIN W[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX8972 SIG MONTGOMERY E[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX14262 SIG MCEWAN V[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX2292 SIG MCMINN J A[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX7393 SIG MCKEAGUE K[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX9212 SIG MCWHIRTER F[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WX1290 CPL NEWNHAM S T[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX16678 SIG PHELAN F C[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX45976 SIG PRATT W[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX9531 SIG PIGGOTT P J[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX10525 SIG PETERSON A W E[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]QX5548 SIG QUINN M C[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX2071 SIG QUINNELL A J[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX8099 SIG REED-JANE W[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX14268 SIG SCOTT J W[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2591872 SIG STOW R H (RCS)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2592003 SIG SMITH J C (RCS)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX1414 SIG SHALLIS T C[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX3772 SIG SANFORD W B[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX1622 CPL THOMAS H[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WX885 CPL THORNTON C J[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WX1281 CPL TINK E D C[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WX1204 SIG WOOD J F[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX14269 SIG WALSH J[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX4479 SIG WHITE G[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX9033 SIG WARD W S[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]NX7401 SIG WINDLE L N[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WX795 SIG WILSON G[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] SIG TRACEY T[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]VX9782 WO2 PENNELL H (4 LAD)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]S181704 PTE PACKARD E H[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]SUMMARY[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]OFFICERS 5 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]WOS 3 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]ORS 84 [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]TOTAL 92[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

 

For anyone interested there is a trip planned for for Greece and Crete starting the 7 October 2009 with Military History Tours in Australia.

Prices and itinerary are available now:

Links below:

Military History Tours Home

Greece and Crete

 

DVD Series called Battleline has an episode on Crete.

See comments in http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/books-films-tv/10550-what-last-ww2-movie-series-you-saw-new-post.html

 

Australian 18 Pounders (IV) on the road in Greece.

 

Some German shots from Greece.

1.

Allied PoW's

2.

River Crossing in Greece.

3.

Destroyed Allied Vehicles in Greece

4.

Camouflaged Sd.Kfz 250 in Greece.

5.

Same as Shot No. 4

 

6.

PoW's

7.

Germans helping themselves in Greece

8.

Same as No.7

9.

The early morning rush for the sunbeds

10.

Humiliating Greek Jews.

 

A total of 311 'Greece' related photo's including the executions of some civilians :
Search results for "bundesarchiv Griechenland" - Wikimedia Commons

 

Article from ADJ May/June 1991

Spider

 

That's quite an old article - and indeed based mostly on Alan Clark's book by the look of it. Though an excellent coverage of events, the Minister of Randiness' book became very dated through the 1980s as the full role of ULTRA became known, and the article writer perpetuates more than a few of Clark's mistakes.

 

Yes, Clark's book is a bit dated and some of his opinions on Freyberg a bit off the mark and he has a high regard for Wavell

Wavells early performance in the far east is questionable.

No mention of 42nd Street and the overall good fight put up.

Lt Col (later Brig) Bell was the 19 Bde (Bde Maj) and on Vaseys staff and was in the Greece and Crete campaigns and his overall observation from his experience and analysis.

Spider

 

in the book on the run there is a full rundown by dates and method of all anzac methods of escape from crete. Im using it to cross reference my grandads escape who seems to have escaped with dudley perkins but cant be sure.

 

I gave just joined this forum to research 6th division signals. My grandfather was cpl m casey who is referenced on Spider's post. Does anyone have a photo. Also Nana doesn't talk about the war and poppy so i'm not sure if poppy was on the kodada trail or not, I only know that he was in new guinea. Can somone please confirm.
Thank you for your time. Simone